303 | AMA | February 2025

2506.655 - 2527.442 Sean Carroll

Then when the energy, sorry, when the electron moves back down to the lower level, another photon is emitted. Is there a way that photons can be absorbed and not re-emitted? Or are they constantly bouncing from one atom to another or moving through empty space forever? I think that the answer is no, there is not such a way. But I mean, of course, it depends on what you're allowing yourself to do.